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Welcome to the AltSounds Concentrate 8 Pints In. This is a round up of all the finest content posted on the site. Please have a scroll down and click away at anything that tickles your fancy. This is also the AltSounds official newsletter, so if you want it dropping in your inbox do
sign up now! This week is a biggie, we have some stunning live photos from Incubus playing live in London (video interview coming shortly), an interview with Barry Mckenna from Twin Atlantic, Ringo Star Live, the underground hipsters WU LYF and a whole bunch more...
Here are the best reviews from AltSounds.com - anything rated above 80% by our scoring system blags the "Cream Of The Crop" title... 
Simple Plan - Get Your Heart On! Atlantic Records
Being a Simple Plan fan since their first album ‘No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls’ I knew, to a certain degree, what to expect. I’ve found over the years that Simple Plan are one of those bands who ‘go with the times’ but at the same time never truly change their product too drastically (I mean just look at Papa Roach!) We’ve heard Simple Plan pull out a ballad or two over the years on their albums, and
Get Your Heart On! isn’t short of a good pop-punk ballad either. ‘This Song Saved My Life’ is a powerful song which, from what I can gather, is about everyone who’s stood by the band over the years. It has a nice piano intro, which is very new-wave dance sounding, and then towards the end of the track we’re greeted with gang vocals that sound like a group of lucky Simple Plan fans.
WU LYF - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain Self Released
WU LYF appear to have taken over the internet in the months running up to the launch of their debut album. Their hype was massive and perhaps unwarranted since it was based on little more than a press photo, a cryptic music video, a nonexistent sold out single, and about two songs. Two stunning songs; they were in fact so good that had they never released an album they would probably still be your new favourite band.
| Read Full Review Here | 
Sound Of Guns w/Support At King Tuts, Glasgow King Tuts, Glasgow - 24th May 2011
It's amazing what a bit of experience can do. It's been seven months since I first discovered the capabilities of the ferocious four-piece
Sound Of Guns after they supported
Detroit Social Club at King Tuts, and in that time they've fully completed their evolution into a seasoned, dynamic act well worthy of the praise that they've been receiving. After the success of debut album
What Came From Fire and appearances at Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds last year,
Sound Of Guns were asked to support the notoriously rowdy rogues
The View on their UK tour, which sparked up a friendship that helped earn them a second tour support slot again in March. They sold out their Liverpool Sound City festival appearance, supported
Miles Kane on tour and completed a second album. With all this productivity in mind, I was anticipating great things from them.
| Read Full Review Here | 
Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band at Birmingham Symphony Hall Birmingham Symphony Hall, Monday 20th June 2011
Now, before we begin, there are numerous references, jokes and whatever I can make whilst speaking about Ringo Starr and his long, illustrious career, which we are all well aware of. The person who guesses the exact number of these references that I make in this review will get a prize (not a yellow submarine, sorry).
Incubus at HMV Forum London HMV Forum June 14th
It has certainly been a while since I have heard any news from these guys, but last Tuesday the billboard outside Kentish Town's HMV Forum stated: "An Evening With Incubus. SOLD OUT". The title of their first London gig in years meant no support bands, just a two-hours performance of the complete career of the poppier grungies that US ever gave birth to.
| Read Full Review Here | 
Black Veil Brides - Set The World On Fire Universal Republic Records
Los Angeles glam metal quintet Black Veil Brides has certainly had a busy year. Between numerous tours, both US and abroad, playing a string of massive European festivals, and nabbing some nifty awards, they’ve had a lot on their plate. The culmination of their work, however, is their sophomore album and major-label debut Set the World on Fire.
| Read Full Review Here | 
The Antlers - Burst Apart Frenchkiss records In 2009 The Antlers were a small, but critically acclaimed indie band like many others that nobody (other than the holier than thou indie elite) bothered to care about. In 2011 The Antlers are on the cusp of ‘pulling a National’, that is defying all laws and becoming both critically acclaimed and popular, only it took The National about ten years.
“In Waves” is a taster of what is to come. Personally, I cannot wait any longer to hear
In Waves as a whole album. If it’s anything as good as the title track, we’re in for a real treat. Wave upon wave upon wave of crushing riff and beautiful melody. People said
Shogun was the summit of Trivium’s mountain of success. But, guess what: we’re still climbing.
Anthrax - Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't Megaforce Anthrax have released the first single, “Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t”, from the as-yet-unreleased album as a free download from their website. Even if you’re not an Anthrax fan, or even a thrash fan, go take a listen, I’m pretty certain you’ll like it. It’s quite a “radio-friendly” track, as the
YouTube critics would crown it, but I like the new direction. Don’t forget, Joey Belladonna hasn’t appeared on an Anthrax record for over 20 years and it’s his high range of melodic vocals that truly defined Anthrax as a band in the early days. So to have this element back into the band is not only the reclamation of a vital asset, but a new (or old?) sound for Anthrax.
The Blackening was voted the best album of the decade in something I read sometime that I can’t remember! I’m talking between 2000 and 2010, by the way, for any of you confused as to which decade. The best album in ten years of music - that is an astonishing achievement. So you can imagine, after approximately 3 years of non-stop touring, the immense pressure Machine Head have put on themselves to write the follow up to such a defining album. After locking themselves in the studio for a few months, it was announced that the name of Machine Head’s new album would be
Unto The Locust.
Century Media Records
You know what, I’m fed up. I really am. I give up with you all. I’ve tried telling you, but none of you will listen to me. I am very aware that In Flames don’t sound like they used to, but stop living in the past. Yes, they are not a melodic death metal band anymore, that much is obvious, but stop whining dude, seriously. They’ve evolved over the years, you can hear it through the albums, and now, in 2011, I’d call them a metal act. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. So there are less death growls and black riffs, but we’ve gained maturity and intelligence, which still makes your head bang.
Alter Bridge have once again created one of the best rock records of the year. They written and recorded this during their hectic schedule in just a short 3 month period, and you’d never be able to tell. There are records out there which have taken years to create and don’t even come close to this, like Axl Rose and the latest Guns ‘N Roses record for example.
Capitol
Great albums share a common fuel or real-life trauma which has invariably sparked the timeless mastery spilling into your ears. Although rarely down to a single catastrophe or seismicevent – modern works of music genius carry with them an obvious tension, sourced from a divinable calamity. Think Dylan’s divorce for "Blood on the Tracks," Ryan Adams’ heartbreak on "Heartbreaker" – or the raw fury forged by fame on Eminem’s "The Marshall Mathers LP".
Fueled By Ramen
It’s been around for a few weeks now but Paramore’s new single “Monster” is still big news. With more than 3 million YouTube hits and multiple posts/blogs, it’s more than apparent that Paramore fans, myself included, were eager to hear what would emerge from the newly-fixed trio. After drummer and lead guitarist Josh and Zac Farro surprisingly left the platinum-selling band in December 2010, it was feared that singer Hayley, rhythm guitarist Taylor and bassist Jeremy would therefore call it quits.
Many interesting things are happening lately at XOYO and last Monday was no exception. With a line up of three bands that didn't really seem to have anything in common (causing crowds flows that mimicked an exodus during a Kings Of Leon set at a festival), you really couldn't tell who was the support act of who.
Roadrunner Records
Cardiff rockers Kids In Glass Houses are back with a vengeance with new single 'Animals', taking a heavier twist on their previous material and maturing from their pop-punk roots. Due for their third album in just three years (
Smart Casual, 2008 & Dirt, 2010), the Welsh boys are set to release
In Gold Blood in August this year, proving they’re one of the hardest working bands around, and aren’t afraid to continuously put pen to paper and get some new tunes knocking about quickly while they’ve got it in them.
Sub Pop & Bella Union Records
In a music world dominated by over produced soulless pop and fashionable indie music, it is always refreshing to hear a band create honest music that is simply beautiful yet at the same time sounding effortless. This was the reason why the Foxes 2008 release did so well and opened peoples ears due to there pitch perfect vocal harmonization, droning guitars and passionate lyrics.
Hyde Park, London 25/06/2011
Let’s face it, so far this year’s British summertime seems to have done what many of us Brits dream of doing – escaping abroad to a better life. Either it really is just hibernating longer than it should be or the financial deficit of this country has led our sunny weather to (to put it bluntly), fuck off abroad. As a result, this summer’s unwanted rainfall transformed Download festival’s field from a mosh pit into a mush pit, Glastonbury’s grounds into sludge and even here, in London’s Hyde Park for this weekend’s Hard Rock Calling jamboree, the heavens opened to put a dampener on The Killers Friday night headlining set.
Soundtracked! Issue #12: Stake Land Music From The Motion Picture
Howdy friends. With the last speck of Donington’s dust now rinsed from my tattered ears, what better way to celebrate than with a marathon of films at my local multiplex? Sunday morning saw me start the day with a little light-hearted family animation courtesy of shit-kicking, slightly irritating, Kung Fu Panda, Po. Next saw American pop heartthrob Justin Timberlake become seduced by his real life ex-other half, and dreadful educator Cameron Diaz. A double dose of super-awesomeness threatened to melt both of my eyeballs next in the form of Stan Lee’s beloved mutants’ first superhero lesson and fighter pilot Hal Jordon swearing allegiance to an emerald-glowing alien lamp from outer-space. Then, as the sun settled outside, I embarked on a bleak trip through vampire-infested stake land.
| Read Full Review Here | 
The AltSounds Ultimate Guide To: Peace And Love Festival 2011 Borlange, Sweden from June 28th to July 2nd
Our pick in this case is the Peace And Love Festival which is the most important event in Sweden (takes place in the inland city of Borlänge just a couple of hours drive from Stockholm or Gothenburg) and this year's 13th edition has the most amazing line up ever. We have an US invasion with Kings Of Leon, The Strokes and the almighty Bob Dylan acting as headliners during the 5 days of the festival which kicks off on the 28th of June.
| Read Full Feature Here | 
The Lowdown: Barry McKenna of Twin Atlantic "I was a proper little classical music geek who played the cello and toured with orchestras. I was massively into music and loved it,"
Glasgow’s Twin Atlantic have seen their fiery brand of alt rock make rounds quicker than a hot potato. Their debut album Free has been a highlight for me this year with its beautiful melodies, raw lyrics and big-ass beats. I was fortunate enough to throw some questions at guitarist Barry McKenna, about said awesome album, Scottish accents and stealing songs from history amongst other things. Here's what he had to say.
| Read Full Interview Here |
